December 2014 www.torontobluessociety.com Published by the TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY since 1985 [email protected] Vol 30, No 12 Danny Marks will be hosting The Maple Blues Awards gala at Koerner Hall January 19 CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40011871 Xmas Gift Guide Loose Blues News Voxxy Lady Event Listings John’s Blues Picks Top Blues TORONTO BLUES SOCIETY 910 Queen St. W. Ste. B04 Toronto, Canada M6J 1G6 Tel. (416) 538-3885 Toll-free 1-866-871-9457 Email: [email protected] Website: www.torontobluessociety.com MapleBlues is published monthly by the Toronto Blues Society ISSN 0827-0597 2014 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Derek Andrews (President), Jon Arnold (Executive), Gord Brown, Lucie Dufault (Secretary), Sharon Evans, Sarah French, Michael Malone (Treasurer), Jamie MacDonald, Ed Parsons (Executive), Norman Robinson, Paul Sanderson, Mike Smith (Executive), John Valenteyn (Executive) Musicians Advisory Council: Chris Antonik, Brian Blain, Gary Kendall, Lily Sazz, Mark Stafford, Suzie Vinnick Membership Committee: Michael Malone, Lucie Dufault, Gord Brown, Sarah French, Mike Smith, Debbie Brown, Ed Parsons, Norm Robinson, Nick Lanaro Volunteer Committee: Ed Parsons, Sharon Evans, Lucie Dufault Office Manager: Alice Sellwood [email protected] Office Assistant: Ivy Mairi Event Coordinator: Jordan Safer [email protected] Sponsorship Coordinator: Dougal Bichan [email protected] Webmistress: Janine Stoll Grants Officer: Barbara Isherwood Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Derek Andrews Managing Editor: Brian Blain [email protected] Contributing Editor: John Valenteyn Listings Coordinator: Razani Fulwell Mailing and Distribution: Ed Parsons Advertising & Sponsorship: Dougal & Co. For rates & specs call 416-645-0295 Email: [email protected] or visit www.torontobluesociety.com/newsletters/ rate-card Charitable # 87487 7509 RR0001 The Toronto Blues Society is a member of The Toronto Blues Society acknowledges the annual support of the following agencies: an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario Project support is provided by: The Toronto Blues Society is committed to the principles of the Personal Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) in safeguarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information. CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT #40011871 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Toronto Blues Society, 910 Queen St. W. Ste. B04, Toronto, Canada M6J 1G6 Email: [email protected] 2 MapleBlues December 2014 www.torontobluessociety.com MARK YOUR CALENDAR December 13, Monarch's Pub, Eaton Chelsea Hotel Toronto, 33 Gerrard St W TBS Annual General Meeting and Xmas Party w/Paul James Band January, 16-19, 2015, Eaton Chelsea Hotel Toronto, 33 Gerrard St W Blues Summit 7 The Blues Summit is a not-to-be-missed, biennial forum for all members of the blues music community including artists, presenters, agents, artistic directors, event organizers, and industry representatives of all kinds. The conference provides an opportunity for members of the community to connect as well as for artists to showcase in front of blues industry professionals. See ad on back page for more information on registration and discount hotel rates. January, 19, 2015, Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor St W 18th Annual Maple Blues Awards hosted by Danny Marks with performances by Angel Forrest, Downchild, Joel Johnson, Brandon Isaak, Harpdog Brown and Steve Hill with the Maple Blues Band led by Gary Kendall. After Party with Irene Torres & The Sugar Devils Tickets are available through the Koerner Hall Box Office. TBS Charter members can The Paul James Band plays the TBS Xmas Party on Saturday, December 13 at Monarch's Pub in the Eaton purchase the best available tickets for only Chelsea Hotel. Blues Doctor Julie Hill will be your MC. There will be dancing, prizes and fun galore. $28! To take advantage of this discount, please contact the TBS Office at 416-538- CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 3885 or [email protected] TBS Charter Members in good standing are eligible to run for the 2015 Toronto Blues Society to retrieve the special discount code. (All Board of Directors. Interested parties should contact the TBS at info@torontobluessociety. Blues Summit delegates can take advantage com, 416-538-3885 for details. Elections will take place at the Annual General Meeting of of the special Delegate Discount which the Toronto Blues Society to be held at the Eaton Chelsea on Saturday, December 13 at 7PM. includes best available tickets for $28! To For further information contact the TBS office, take advantage of this offer, please contact the TBS Office at 416-538-3885 or info@ torontobluessociety.com to retrieve the The Toronto Blues Society is a Registered Charity special discount code. This discount is Make a donation beyond membership and merchandise, and available to all TBS Charter Members, as get your charitable tax receipt in time for this year! (Charitable well as all Blues Summit Delegates.) # 87487 7509 RR0001). You will be helping to support events like January 20-24, 2015 Orpheum Theatre the annual Women's Blues Revue at Massey Hall, The Blues in the and various venues in Memphis Schools program, The monthly Gladstone Blues Series, numerous International Blues Challenge. The TBS workshops and carreer development activities for the musician will be sending representatives in all three community as well as the Maple Blues Awards and the Blues Summit conference, categories: Conor Gains (group), The Oh the most important blues industry gathering in Canada that occurs every other year. Chays (solo/duo) and Angelique Francis Networking events within this conference allow for industry discussion alongside (youth). Jerome Godboo's CD, Sanctuary artist discovery through the showcase program. City is the TBS entry for the Best Self- Produced CD July 16, 2015 Palais Royale, 1601 Lakeshore Blvd TBS 30th Anniversary Celebration featuring The Music of Ray Charles "Like" us on Facebook! with special guests TBA. www.facebook.com/ Follow us on Twitter Dinner & Show $100 TorontoBluesSociety @tobluessociety +HST/Service (Show only $30 +HST/Service) www.torontobluessociety.com MapleBlues December 2014 3 Mark Rheaume, our newest Blues Doctor Blues Lovers' member reviews CDs for CBC’s Julie Hill, Fresh Air and manages the Producer & Host, CBC Library: Blue Remedy; Gift Braithwaite & Whiteley Blues Stories LIVE Wednesdays, (Big City): Many highlights dot the solo 8 to 10 pm c.v.’s of both Toronto-based performers, et, on-line @ but on their fifth album together, multi- RadioRegent.com, Guide instrumentalist Chris Whiteley and singer streaming on the Diana Braithwaite show that they do their Tunein App on all mobile devices, broadcast Our expert nominating committee has greatest work in tandem. Blues Stories offers in Toronto on Rogers channel RP60; Saturdays, chosen these as the best recordings of the a breath-taking variety of the blues. 4 to 6 pm et on-line @ BluesAndRootsRadio. year and you should have them (I hope you’ve com , streaming on the Blues and Roots Radio Fathead Fatter Than Ever (Electro-Fi): If already voted for your favourite). Our regular apple & android app: you like mainstream blues, you can’t do much media panel then offers more suggestions: better than Toronto’s Fathead. Levon Helm Canadian artists with their best yet: Brandon Isaak Here on Earth (Self): Fans once called them “one of the best bands I’ve Harrison Kennedy This Is From Here (Electro- of gentler, more country-oriented blues heard in a long time.” Two decades on, they Fi): sweet tasty acoustic soul-blues; Roly Platt will find a lot to like in this second album keep the party hopping. Inside Out (rolyplatt.com): only 1 CD every by Whitehorse- 50 years by the harp master; Kenny ‘Blues The Harpoonist born, Boss’ Wayne Rollin’ With the Blues Boss (Stony & The Axe Vancouver- Plain): west coast boogie piano and classic Murderer A Real based Brandon Fine Mess (Self): Isaak. One of the Raw, acoustic finest acoustic blues with blues recordings the slightest this year. (Mark suggestion of Rheaume) danger…that’s Downchild the sound Can You Hear the served up by Music (Linus): Vancouver’s Fresh from their Shawn (The 45th Anniversary Harpoonist) parties and still Hall and celebrating their Matthew (The JUNO win, this Axe Murderer) album shows how Rogers. They’ve vital this band really is. added some players to their former JW-Jones Belmont Boulevard (Blind Pig): two-man band, but the hint of menace This album cracked the Billboard Blues remains. Chart in October and deservedly so, a Tom Morgan Davis I Got My Own (Electro- soul-RnB; The Paul DesLauriers Band (Big Hambridge production that will keep a Fi): Anyone doubting the timelessness of Toe): genuine rockin’ blues from the Quebec hard-travelling band working for some time the blues should check out Davis’s latest. power trio. to come. It mixes bright new recordings with tracks Blues-Fusion: Canadafrica (Mike Raoul & The Big Time Hollywood Blvd recorded live in December 2000 (on the Stevens & Okaidja Afroso) Where’s The (Big Time): Raoul Bhaneja headed to singer/guitarist’s final night in Toronto, before One? (Borealis): seeing a live show by Burbank, California to record this very fun moving to Halifax) – and there’s none of the Canada’s harp maestro with this African multi- record, capturing the sound of the blues jarring juxtaposition or aural whiplash one instrumentalist is also highly recommended. as heard in Hollywood films in the ‘40s and might experience